Dell made a misstep in ending its XPS laptop computer line in favor of a lineup with fashions labeled Plus, Premium and Pro. It has admitted as a lot and announced last month that it was making the XPS’s absence a brief one. Solely a 12 months after killing them off, Dell pulled an about-face and resurrected its most well-known laptop computer model.Â
Dell was so excited in regards to the return of the XPS that it despatched me not one however two XPS 14 fashions to overview. And I am excited to dig into these machines, however I did not wish to wait till they have been totally examined to share my ideas. So, listed here are my preliminary observations as I get this pair of Dell XPS 14 laptops arrange for testing.
XPS returns after a 12 months away
The XPS line returns with the XPS 14 and XPS 16 (with an XPS 13 to comply with later this 12 months). Dell despatched me a pair of XPS 14 laptops. Every is predicated on Intel Panther Lake processors, with the largest variations being the CPUs (the built-in GPU on every, specifically) and shows (IPS LCD on one, touchscreen OLED on the opposite).
Here is what I obtained:
Dell XPS 14 mannequin No. 1
- CPU: 8-core Intel Core Extremely 7-355Â
- RAM: 16GB LPDDR5-7467
- Graphics: Intel Arc with 4 Xe cores
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Show: IPS LCD with 1,920×1,200-pixel decision
- Value: $1,700 (beginning Feb. 19)
Dell XPS 14 mannequin No. 2
- CPU: 16-core Intel Extremely X7-358H
- RAM: 32GB LPDDR5-9600
- Graphics: Intel Arc B390 with 12 Xe3 cores
- Storage: 1TB SSD
- Show: tandem touchscreen OLED with 2,880×1,800-pixel decision
- Value: $2,200Â
The Dell XPS 14 begins at $1,600 with a Core Extremely 5-325 CPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD and an IPS LCD. Dell instructed me that the Core Extremely 7-355 providing is predicted to hit subsequent Thursday, Feb. 19.
A pair of Dell XPS 14 laptops: the IPS show is on the left, and the touchscreen OLED is on the appropriate.
Getting reacquainted with XPS
The Premium fashions have been the direct replacements of the XPS, and so they have been the worst of the brand new bunch. Over-designed and chubby, they’d many pining for the previous days of XPS laptops. The XPS 14 corrects two of essentially the most obvious flaws of the Dell 14 Premium: the XPS 14 is considerably lighter, and the touch-sensitive icons within the Operate row (that no one appreciated) are gone, changed with bodily keys.
The Dell 14 Premium was a tank of a laptop computer. It tipped the scales at 3.8 kilos, making it one of many heaviest — if not the heaviest — 14-inch laptops in the marketplace. I imply, it was shockingly heavy. Dell stated it was for “creators on the go,” however I might think about just for creators who hit the gymnasium repeatedly. It was a chore to lug round. I traveled with it final 12 months to place it to the check, and it felt like I used to be carrying round lead bricks in my laptop computer bag. After I handed it to my brother-in-law for his take, he requested, “What’d they put on this factor?”
Take a look at that! A Operate row made up of bodily keys.
The XPS 14 slides in at nearer to three kilos, which is a extra typical weight for a 14-inch laptop computer. Every mannequin weighs slightly below 3.2 kilos. (The lower-end mannequin with the IPS show weighs 3.18 kilos, and the touchscreen OLED mannequin is barely lighter at 3.15 kilos.) Dell made the XPS 14 lighter with out sacrificing the construct high quality, too. It feels simply as stable because the Dell 14 Premium.
The XPS 14 is made out of CNC-machined aluminum that’s virtually flex-free. The laptop computer pulls off the neat trick of really trying extra stable than the 14 Premium whereas being thinner and lighter. The XPS 14 loses the tapered design of the 14 Premium for a extra regular, slab-like look, and appears much more like a MacBook Pro now. It is barely thinner and some ounces lighter than the 14-inch, 3.5-pound MacBook Professional.
The Dell XPS 14 is smaller and thinner than the 14-inch MacBook Professional.
A method Dell trimmed some weight was by shrinking the dimensions of the show. The XPS 14 has a 14-inch display, down from the 14.5-inch panel on the Dell 14 Premium. It is also barely smaller than the 14.2-inch show on the MacBook Professional. Aspect by aspect, the XPS 14’s show does look smaller than the MacBook Professional’s, however a part of the reason being that the XPS 14 has even thinner bezels than the MacBook Professional. For the extra compact package deal and lighter carrying weight, I believe I might be keen to commerce 0.2 inches of display dimension. (I nonetheless would not commerce MacOS for Home windows, however that is one other story altogether.)
After the surprising, shoulder-destroying heft, my least favourite a part of the Dell 14 Premium was the touch-sensitive icons that made up the Operate row. After I wish to elevate or decrease the amount or display brightness, I wish to achieve this with a easy faucet or two on a bodily key — not on an icon that gives no suggestions to tell me if my purpose was true. I additionally take consolation in realizing I’ve a functioning Esc key always. With the XPS 14, there isn’t any extra guesswork with the Operate row. Precise Operate keys are again, and so they by no means ought to have left within the first place.
Fortunately, the superb haptic touchpad returns with the XPS 14, nevertheless it’s not borderless. Dell has added etched traces on both aspect of the touchpad so you possibly can see and really feel the place its energetic floor ends. The traces are very refined, so in case you have been a fan of the minimalist look of the 14 Premium, you may admire the look of the XPS 14.
The haptic touchpad now has etched traces on either side so you possibly can see and really feel its borders.
The latticeless keyboard additionally returns, however the keys really feel a bit firmer than earlier than with snappier suggestions. The port choice is similar, with a trio of Thunderbolt 4 ports and an audio jack, however the microSD card slot from the 14 Premium is lacking right here.
And there you have got it, the XPS 14 is again and higher than, nicely, the 14 Premium earlier than it. It is barely smaller however considerably lighter whereas correcting the error of the touch-sensitive strip of Operate row icons. Up to now, it is made an excellent first impression. Test again quickly for my full overview with efficiency and battery testing. And for the OLED mannequin with the Intel Core Extremely X7-358H chip and Arc B390 graphics, I am going to run our gaming benchmarks to see the way it handles AAA titles.
